Kaytasha Thomas
Lakeland,FL
Summary
Diligent Cook possessing excellent cooking skills and strong knowledge of food safety. Proficient in maintaining well-stocked, organized and clean kitchen areas to maximize productivity. Dedicated team player with punctual nature and open communication style dedicated to working hard. Reliable, top-notch sales associate with outstanding customer service skills and relationship-building strengths. Dedicated to welcoming customers and providing comprehensive service. In-depth understanding of sales strategy and merchandising techniques. Skilled at looking for unusual and suspicious activities and persons and responding to calls for service. Adept at interrogating and communicating with victims, witnesses and suspects while providing scene security and protection for emergency services personnel. Reliable employee seeking position. Offering excellent communication and good judgment.
Overview
15
15
years of professional experience
Work History
Cook/baker Team Lead
Lakeland Regional Health
Lakeland, FL
07.2017 - Current
- Prepared multiple orders simultaneously during peak periods with high accuracy rate, maximizing customer satisfaction and repeat business.
- Set up and prepared cooking supplies and workstations during opening and closing to maximize productivity.
- Changed and sanitized cutting boards, benches and surfaces between tasks to avoid cross-contamination.
- Took food orders from cashiers and cooked items quickly to complete order items together and serve hot.
- Maintained well-stocked stations with supplies and spices for maximum productivity.
- Instructed new staff in proper food preparation, storage, use of kitchen equipment and sanitation.
- Created identical dishes numerous times daily with consistent care, attention to detail and quality.
- Ordered and received products and supplies to stock kitchen areas.
- Inspected appliances, commercial fryers, and ovens to verify proper working order.
- Managed kitchen staff, supervised preparation of foods ,and explained steps for readying specialty items.
Cook Trainer
Olive Garden Restaurant
Lakeland, FL
02.2014 - 03.2018
- Stayed current on specialized kitchen terminology and menu item abbreviations to best train workers for fast-paced work.
- Implemented training for front-of-house team members to understand kitchen procedures.
- Monitored and managed kitchen staff during busy rush periods to maintain service levels.
- Learned how to prepare menu items according to precise recipes, cooking procedures and methodologies.
- Enforced cooking, plating and garnishing rules across shifts and staff members.
- Trained cooks to maintain clean, organized and sanitary workstations.
- Cooked same meals over and over during shifts with exact quality results.
- Provided detailed instruction and role modeling for acceptable social and work-related behaviors.
Lead Cook
Mojos Wings Burgers Beer
Lakeland, FL
02.2015 - 01.2018
- Supervised line cooks to monitor food safety and order accuracy.
- Prepared ingredients ahead of time to promote efficiency in dish garnishing.
- Set up and prepared cooking supplies and workstations during opening and closing to maximize productivity.
- Took over line positions in event of emergency.
- Taught kitchen staff safety protocols and restaurant standards.
- Delegated jobs within kitchen depending on restaurant traffic and employee skill.
- Developed process that reduced waste and improved supply turnover.
- Maintained well-stocked stations with supplies and spices for maximum productivity.
- Created identical dishes numerous times daily with consistent care, attention to detail and quality.
- Upheld optimal staff and customer protections by monitoring food handling, cleaning and sanitation protocols.
- Monitored cooks and dishwasher performance and suggested improvements to streamline processes and increase team efficiency.
- Inspected kitchens to observe food preparation quality and service, food appearance and cleanliness of production and service areas.
- Inspected freezer and refrigerator daily to check and maintain proper temperatures.
Server/Host
Tampa International Airport
Tampa, FL
02.2011 - 02.2014
- Cultivated warm relationships with regular customers.
- Worked with POS system to place orders, manage bills and handle complimentary items.
- Explained menu items and suggested appropriate options for food allergy concerns.
- Bussed and reset tables to keep dining room and work areas clean.
- Arranged and prepared tables for customers to offer memorable experiences to guests and foster repeat business.
- Used slow periods to restock supplies, ice, trays and delivery bags.
- Kept register accurate through correct billing, payment processing and cash management practices.
- Replenished food items, paper products and canned goods to keep pantry well-stocked during busy periods.
- Checked identification for minimum age for sale of alcoholic beverages.
- Applied comprehensive knowledge of wine, cider and beer to increase daily beverage sales.
- Carried out complete opening, closing and shift change duties to keep restaurant working efficiently and teams ready to meet customer needs.
Education
No Degree - Health Sciences
Hillsborough Community College
Tampa, FLHigh School Diploma -
Lakeland Senior High School
Lakeland, FL06.2009
Skills
- Sous Vide Technique
- Product Rotations
- Mixing Dishes
- Critical Thinking
- Purchasing and Receiving
- Proper Food Storage
- Cooking and Baking
- Dish Preparation
- Bulk Food Preparation
- Store Room and Walk-In Inspections
- Food Plating and Presentation
- Kitchen Sanitization
- Chopping Vegetables
- Customer Retention Strategies
- Call Documentation
- Responding to Difficult Customers
- Calm and Professional Under Pressure
- Data Entry and Maintenance
- Issue and Complaint Resolution
- Upbeat and Positive Personality
- Understanding Customer Needs
- Efficient and Detail-Oriented
- Courteous with Strong Service Mindset
- POS Systems and Ordering Platforms
- Building Customer Trust and Loyalty
- Order and Refund Processing
- Correcting Discrepancies
- Staff Meetings
- Information Updates
- Inventory Control Processes
- Briefings and Debriefings
- Commercial Property
- Law Enforcement Collaboration
- Intruder Removal
- Threat Awareness
- Fire Department Communication
- Crisis Management Plans
- Pattern Recognition
- Team Player
- Customer Communication
Timeline
Cook/baker Team Lead
Lakeland Regional Health
07.2017 - Current
Lead Cook
Mojos Wings Burgers Beer
02.2015 - 01.2018
Cook Trainer
Olive Garden Restaurant
02.2014 - 03.2018
Server/Host
Tampa International Airport
02.2011 - 02.2014
No Degree - Health Sciences
Hillsborough Community College
High School Diploma -
Lakeland Senior High School
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